Fool to Think
by SailorGirl31
Summary: It’s about a month after the fall of the Hellmouth and everyone is just trying to find their place in the world again. As the story develops there will be the usual drama, angst and love triangles but hopefully by the end everyone will find happiness.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own them, wish I did.

A/N: I want to thank Cheri for beta'ing for me. Now I have someone to share my numerous grammatical errors with.

Chapter 1

The survivors have set up camp in a hotel that Angel's been putting them up in for the past few weeks. It seems like everyone's trying to figure out what to do next; where their place in the world is now that there's not an active Hellmouth to keep an eye on anymore. Even Buffy wasn't immune to the deep introspective thoughts involving the future and her place in it. After her wounds had been taken care of, the blonde found that she could do little more then stare out the window while she tried to process all the new information that was coming at her at warp speed. Suddenly everything had changed. Her world was completely turned upside down and she didn't have a clue what she was going to do next. Then there were the changes going on within her, as well. She's not quite sure when it started. Well that's not true, it was somewhere between fleeing from the big gaping hole that was once Sunnydale and arriving in La La land. But, no matter when it started, it was definitely new and strange. It's like she can feel everything around her…like she's connected to the earth and people, especially the ones around her. Its like she's low jacked right into their emotions. Some stronger than others and no matter what meditation technique she employs, she's unable to block out all the craziness that's happening around her. The first few days she really could do little more than stare out the window and meditate. Thanks to Faith, she's no longer playing the part of a coma patient. Her counterpart had just stopped by to see what was up and was more then a little concerned at how she found the older women. But in true Faith fashion, she did little more then draw her brows together before dragging her fellow slayer out for a night on the town.

A lit tapping at the door pulled Buffy from her thoughts. Wearing a slight smile, she got up to answer the door knowing that her favorite redhead was standing on the other side.

"Hey Buff. Can I come in?" The redhead asked with a hopeful look.

"You know you can Will." was the reply as she stepped aside to let her visitor in. Not even waiting for the go ahead the Wicca flopped down on the bed before making herself comfortable against the headboard. The slayer couldn't help but grin at her friend's antics before taking up the spot next to her. "I was getting tired of the deep pit of despair my thoughts where in anyways. What's up?"

"Are you sure you don't want to get back to all that deep thinking? You looked like you were really into it. I was wondering where that smoke was coming from in the hall." the redheaded Wicca said with a grin.

"Ha ha…funny. Sure, make fun of your mentally challenged friend when she's down." She waits a beat before continuing. "You sure you don't want to get back to your main squeeze across the way? Cause I'm not sure she's able to survive without your hip to attach herself to."

That comment earned Buffy a playful slap on the arm. "Buffy!!! That was just mean."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just being cranky. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well…" She starts with a pout. "I don't think I want to tell you now."

"I'm sorry Willow. Please tell me." The blonde pulls out a pout of her own before it turns into a slight grin. "I'll never make fun of your 'woman friend' again plus I'll be your best friend."

Well seeing how you put it that way…I wanted to talk to you about the future…" That statement was met with a groan from her friend.

"Please anything but that. I can barely wrap my mind around the here and now."

"Well, how about we handle your here and now…now and try to work out whatever's bothering you. Then…"

"Will I really don't…"

"Would you let me take care of you just this once without fighting me? You always cave in the end anyways." She said while flashing that adorable grin that usually got the Wicca whatever she wanted.

"Fine." The blonde replied with a heavy sigh. "But just this once."

"Deal."

After a few moments passed without any sharing, the redhead gave her friend a nudge and an encouraging smile. "You know you have to actually talk for me to know what's going right?"

"I know. It's just I didn't feel right dumping all this on you when we were super close. Now it just feels wrong that our relationship re-builder is going to be me whining all night about my problems and I know that you have your own to deal with."

"What, did you think I wouldn't get my share of whining in too? The redhead asked with mock indignation. "Buffy I know we haven't been the bestest friends we used to be but I want us to be that way again." As she finished, she took hold of Buffy's hand giving it a light squeeze before pulling the slayer into the first hung they'd shared since getting off the bus.

"I feel the same way."

"Well let's get the whining started."

"I'm really not sure if I know how to explain it. The thing is…over the last few weeks I've noticed a lot of changes." The slayer starts while she returns to her position against the headboard.

"Really? How so?" Willow asked, turning to give her friend her full attention.

"Well for starters I'm stronger. Liker a lot stronger and I can feel…everything. It's like when I had the aspect of the demon but instead of mind reading I can sense emotions and energies." Buffy pauses for a moment and gives her friend a questioning look. "Like how your energy changed just now, I can tell you're confused."

"So you're like an empathy now?" Willow asked with the cuties little scrunch of her brow.

"Maybe but I don't think so. It's more like…" She takes another moment while she tries to find the right words. "You know how when you go for a jog…" She stops after receiving a pointed look before continuing. "or running for your life, your body feels different than if you had just walked the same distance? You can feel your blood moving through your body. The air feels different. You're hyper aware of your personal space."

"Yeah?" The redhead was wondering where she was going with this.

"It's kind of like that but you're jacked into everything not just what's happening in your own bubble. I can feel the changes in the energy around me. Over the last week, I've been getting better at telling the difference between happy and sad energy and stuff like that but everyone's a little different too…"

"So that can be a pain in the ass with a room full of strangers but with a group of people you know…" The redhead felt excited that she was finally starting to understand where the blonde was going with this.

"Exactly! I pretty much know how everyone's feeling."

"That's kind of cool."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, is there anything else?"

"I'm not sure yet. I've been pretty hung up on getting a hold of this energy thing. I've finally gotten to the point where I can tune it out if I need too but those first few days were pretty hard. I could barely…" The blonde sighed heavily but quickly perks up. "But on the up side having super super human strength is pretty cool."

The redhead looks at her friend with some of the guilt and regret she feels showing in her eyes. "I should have been here for you. You shouldn't have had to go through that alone."

"Hey. Stop with the puppy dog eyes. I'm fine and I wasn't alone. I had Faith. She's been helping me a lot and you're here now so all's good again." She finishes with a deep breath and a glowing smile. "Now tell me about this grand plan you have for our future."

Willow could barely contain her excitement as she thought about her ideas. "Alright, I'll tell you but you need to promise that you'll hear me out before jumping in."

"Promise." The blonde replied while grinning at the bouncy redhead.

"Just listen. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Ok…well I know you were really busy towards the end and that there wasn't much time for you to plan out getaway, what with the saving the world and the high probability that we wouldn't make it out of there alive," She pauses, partly for dramatic effect and to take a much need breath. "So I thought that I might handle that part."

At this Buffy quirks a brow. "What do you mean 'handle that part'?"

"Just listening, remember?"

"Sorry."

"Anyways, after you shared with me what was waiting for us under the Hellmouth, I realized that this was going to be the big one for real this time and I started looking into ways to make sure we didn't become crazy nutcases on the street corner somewhere. Money was a big issue at first, seeing how we didn't have any but…"

"At first?" Buffy already had tons of questions but after receiving a very unfriendly glare the slayer decided to hold off for the moment. "Sorry."

"…but then I realized that the Council has all this money laying around that no one's going to miss cause they were some crazy uber-secret society."

"So you what…stole the council's money?"

"I wouldn't exactly put it that way but if we were speaking plainly…yes."

"So are we Oprah rich or Bill Gates rich?" The blonde asked hoping that the number was as big as she thought it was. She could already feel a lot of the tension about the future lessening and the excitement coming off of Will was so intense it almost had her bouncing off the walls.

"Patience…I'm getting there." She replied with a little quirk of her lips. "So I decided that it was best to spread the money around and cover my tracks just in case. Besides a diverse portfolio is every investor's friend. Anyways, I found this plot of land in Arizona that seemed just right for us. Turns out that Arizona is the new real estate hot spot."

"Will." The slayer whined with an impatient tone.

"Right…normally my babble is cute but while you're still young. Got it. Long story longer…I bought the land and this really quaint little town right on the border."

"You bought a town?"

"Yeah…it'll be a great cover for us and, well, I figured that if we owned something that positive income that was already established we'll always be financially secure…even thought we're like Bill Gate's to the tenth power right now." The redhead finished with a blush.

"And that's supposed to explain buying a town? The tenth power? Really?" She asked unable to control the huge grin on her face at the thought of never working in a place like the DMP again.

"Really and I didn't actually buy the town just the resort and hotels and things like that. The towns like some crazy rich people retreat in the wintertime and there are only about a thousand people who live there all year round. I figured while we wait for our school to be built we can stay at the hotel…"

"School?"

"That's the other thing I wanted to run by you." The Wicca rambled on excitedly. "We need something to do with all the newly activated slayers. We can't just let them run amuck on their own but we also can't just go up to their houses and snatch the girls out of their beds. Even if they don't want to fight the good fight they'll still have to learn who they are, how to control their powers and what having them means."

"Ok…I'm definitely with you there. So what do you have planned some X-Man type community with me playing the part of Professor X."

"Well, yeah but without the jet and I always thought you had more Cyclops in you then the Professor." The redhead supplies with her trademark grin. "In all seriousness though, over the next year or so while we're waiting, we can figure out exactly how we want to do this but for the moment I think we should just stick with the basics till we know what we're really capable of."

"Wow."

"I know."

"That's…this is a lot to take in all at once." The shorter woman says looking deep in thought.

"I know." The redhead says again.

"Ok. I'm in. Let's start with the serious planning tomorrow. Figure out who's onboard and the next steps that need to be taken." The blonde says naturally slipping into take charge mode.

"That's it? 'Ok. I'm in'. What happened to…this is a lot to take in?" Willow couldn't believe it was going to be that easy. She thought there was going to be at least a hundred questions fired at her.

"Willow, we've been together now for what, seven years?" She receives a nod as confirmation. "And in all the years I've known you, you've done nothing but try to help me with my mission. Now you have one of your own and I want to be a part of it. I've never seen you do anything half-assed, so I know that you have many books somewhere, that you've so fondly named 'notes', with all the plans for this project all super color-coded and ready to go." The redheads blush only confirmed what the blonde already knew.

"Buffy…I don't want you to be a part of it. You are it. I didn't go through all this to…I'm not take charge girl no matter what that plaque says." She saw that Buffy was about to jump in but she was having none of that. "No…listen for a sec. I know you're going through lots of changes…I can feel it now that I'm looking for it. And I know you're unsure of your place but that's nothing new. It's just a little different now. But I'm here to help you…I'll always be here to help you. This school idea…I know you. I saw you with the potentials and the pride you felt being able to pass on your knowledge to the newbies. You might not want to be in the field for a while but you'll still want to take part in some way with the fight. This is going to suck at first. It'll be a lot of new things that we're not used to but…" She pauses to shake herself out of her babble-fest. "I did this cause you need it and deserve it and I want to be a part of it and I can't see our lives not being directly connected to each other in some way or another."

By the time her friend was done with her marathon ramble, the slayer had tears in her eyes. "It's ridiculous how cheesy we are sometimes. Aren't we supposed to be bad-asses?" She asked as she dabbed her eyes.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that we can't cry when we want to or continue the search for the perfect sensible shoe." They took a moment to let it all sink in. A soothing feeling taking over with the knowledge that their paths were going to stay intertwined for a while longer.

After getting control of her emotions, Buffy took her friend's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Thank you for this Will. I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you in my life but I plan to do whatever it takes to keep you."

"Hey…It's what I do and the sentiment goes both ways."

The blonde closed her eyes with a smile. "You should get back to Kenny. She's missing you."

"Actually I was thinking of getting in a bit of Buffy time. We really haven't gotten to get in the usual post-apocalypse girl time. She'll be ok without me for one night." She said while grabbing the TV remote from the night stand and making herself more comfortable. "And no buts. We're starting an official girls' night in so let's find us a movie to watch."

"Yes Ma'am." Buffy said with a grin as she settled down for a night in with her best friend thinking this is just what the doctor ordered.

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I love these girls. I really do. There isn't much I wouldn't do for them like, say, giving my left eye but I don't think I can do this anymore. Here we are, yet again, doing that thing we do best, planning, mapping out our next step, looking at all the angles for the best course of action. The only difference is that it's Will laying all the bricks and the Buffster being all support-y girl. It's going to be so hard leaving them with this but…there really isn't a 'but.' I'm done, burnt out, tired, eye-less. Love-less.

He was brought out of his musings by the sound of the authoritative voice that he's spent so many years following with blind faith. 'Ok, so that's the plan.' I guess I should tell Buff first. She'll take it better and be there for Will, who I know for a fact won't like my plan at all. 'If this is something you think you want to be a part of we really need the extra hands and if you just need someplace to stop and take a breath while you get your life together, we've got space for you, too.'

'Anyone got any questions?' Has Buffy always had this flare for the dramatic? Xander thought with a grin as the meeting was coming to an end. 'Ok then. We're going to take off as soon as possible, probably within the next few days. So relax as much as you can while you can.'

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"So, you, what, decided that you didn't need to come and tell me that you would be out all night." That was the first thing Willow hears as enters the room that she shares with Kennedy and she could tell that the woman in front of her was going to go on one of her crazy rants before the night was over.

"I wasn't out all night." She replies with a well placed eye roll. "I was in Buffy's room right across the hall. It's not like you didn't know where I was. If you were really that worried about me you could have come over." The redhead said in a tired voice not really in the mood for this type of conversation. Lately Kennedy's been way too possessive for her liking. "Look Buffy needs someone right now…"

"Why does that someone always need to be you?" Kennedy asks while sporting a very un-inviting stance.

"Buffy's my best friend and I don't have to stand here and try to explain to you my reasons for wanting to look out for her. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" The redhead asked in an annoyed tone as she made her way over to the chair.

"Why am I making such a big deal out of this? Um…I don't know…let me think about that for a moment…oh, I know, because it's Buffy." She says condescendingly, pausing a moment before continuing on with what seems to be turning into, as predicted, a pretty decent rant. "You always put her first. Whenever you think Buffy needs you, you jump at the opportunity to help whether she wants it or not. I thought now that we were away from the Hellmouth, things would be different, that we would be different, that maybe I would finally have some type of priority in your life but it doesn't seem that way." The brunette finished sounding just as defeated as she felt.

"You can't be serious." The Wicca replied not letting herself be pulled into feeling sorry for her girlfriend. "Ken, we're been here for close to a month and all I've done is spend time with you. It was starting to feel like I grew an extra limb…" Willow had to stop herself to gather her thoughts before she said something she couldn't take back. It was just the opening the slayer needed to jump back in it.

"Is it really some kind of hardship to spend time with me? I'm your girlfriend Will! Last I heard it's kind of supposed to be that way." She says sounding more than a little hurt. "And what about all these plans that you guys laid on us this morning, plans that you've been cooking up for months but didn't even trust or respect me enough to tell me about And why are you leaving all the major decisions up to her?You planned all this out; you set it all up, you…"

"She saved our lives Kennedy!" Willow shouted, unable to stand by and listen to anymore of this. "She kept us alive. Even when we decided that she couldn't cut it anymore she still put our wellbeing before her own and never asked for anything in return. Buffy's never asked for anything for all the good she's done and the sad part is that she doesn't think she deserves anything either. She is a true living breathing hero." The redhead continues just as heated as she was before. "The least I could do was make sure we had someplace to live if we pulled through. This is what I do Ken. I look after her because no one can take care of her the way I can. Who's suppose to make the major decisions if not the one that's been the head decision maker from the beginning? It's how we work. I lay out all the information and she decides the best choice to make. And I'm sorry if you feel like you should have a more vital role in the decision making process but to be truthful, Ken, you're still very new to all this…"

"Will you stop it already!" The dark haired slayer shouts while walking towards the door. "Look, I can't be here…I have to go."

Willow was on her feet reaching for her girlfriend's hand. "Kenny…"

"No…" she says while reclaiming her hand. "I need to think about things…about us." And with that she walked out the door leaving Willow to think about some things as well.

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A/N: Drop me a line and let me know what you think. Reviews are my crack 


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

"I told you she missed you." The blonde said while closing the door after letting her friend in.

"We talked this afternoon. She's ok now." Willow said as she took her spot from the previous evening.

"Sure she is." Buffy replied as she lingers by the door for a moment longer before she seemingly lost in thought before moving to take the spot next to the redhead. "Why don't you tell me what's bothering. I know you and Kennedy had a falling out."

"How…?"

"I could feel the sparks flying from all the way over here this afternoon."

"Yeah, well I don't want you to take this the wrong way, cause I know we're doing the friendship rebuilding thing but I really don't want to get into that right now. I just wanted to stop by and see you before you went out to patrol. You are going out on patrol right?" From the looks of the slayers outfit it seemed more like she was going out for a night on the town than to wail on the undead.

"First...I'm gonna give you a pass for the moment about your girl-toy but we are sooo coming back to that. And yes, Faith stopped by earlier and said she needed to see a little action. I think that was her way of inviting me along." They both chuckled at that.

"In Faith speak, that does sound like, 'hey Buffy you want to patrol with me?'" There was a comfortable lull in the conversation while they were each lost in their own thoughts. "I'm glad you two are getting along again." Willow said breaking the silence.

"Really now?" The blonde ask not even bothering to hide the surprise in her voice. It wasn't like Willow never told her that before but she could feel how true that statement really was.

"Hey…I know I haven't always been her biggest fan but I can see the changes in her and how much you like having her around. Not to mention the fact that she's been there for you these past few weeks when I haven't."

"All of which is very true but the question I have for you is why you're avoiding spending time with your girlfriend all of the sudden?"

"I'm not avoiding her." After receiving a very pointed look from the slayer she continued. "I'm not. We just…lately we've been…I'm not even sure how to explain it. There's only so much time you can spend under someone before you need to come up for air. You know?"

"Do you remember Riley?" The blonde deadpanned. "But I don't remember you having a problem being under Tara or Oz for that matter. From what I remember you were all about the 24/7 under, top, sideways…"

"Buffy!!! I can't believe you just said that." Willow chastised her friend while trying to fight the blush that had already reached her hair line.

"What? That you really like having sex? I think anyone who's had to live with you for any period of time knows the truth to that statement Will. So spill already. What's up with you and your lady friend?"

"I don't know…nothing is wrong…ok maybe there's a little wrong but regardless of what's wrong or not, I just don't think she's the one for me. I don't want to break up with her. No, that's not quite true. I think I might need to break up with her. But, I care about her a lot, which is pretty much the same as saying I like you a lot but I don't love you. And I know she's in love with me. I can see it in her eyes and I know that she's afraid that I don't feel the same and I don't but what am I suppose to do? And she's just so…I hate to say it, but clingy. She was always attentive to me but she's taking it to a whole other level. And she never wants to talk about things as they come up. She wants to hold it in then let it all out in one big dramatic swoop like she did earlier today…"

"Breathe Will. Breathe." She had to jump in before the redhead passed out from lack of oxygen to the brain. "Listen, you two got together at a weird time. Neither of you really know what the other is like when there isn't a Big Bad around. She's seeing that 'crisis you' and 'everyday you' is pretty much the same person and you're seeing it's the other way around with her. Or maybe she's not all that different and you're just realizing it because she's starting to cramp your style. Maybe you should talk to her about all this."

"I know but that's the problem. I know I need to talk to her about this but whenever I try…"

"I know…tongue ring."

"Buffy!!!" Hating her inability to keep herself from blushing the Wicca stumbled on in vain. "No…yes…no…ok, a little but it's more than that."

"Really? Like what?"

"I don't know. She's sweet and caring and she always seems to be able to put me in the right mood…at least she can when she's not being a bitch. And she's so in love with me and it just feels good to have someone look at me that way again. And the ring thing is also a contributing factor. But I look at her sometimes and I think to myself this isn't it. I've been spoiled in my past relationships, Buff, I know how I should feel when I'm in love and this isn't it."

"Maybe you just need to take some time to think about what you really want from this relationship. It doesn't always have to be forever, Will."

"Yeah. Maybe you're right."

Just as Willow was ready to fire up another impressive babble, Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. "Faith's on her way. If you want I can stay."

"That's almost freaky…and no. You go ahead, have fun." Not two minutes later, Faith walked in, not even bothering to knock, looking hotter than anyone has the right to look and not be a model.

"Ready to make tracks?" The new arrival asked, sporting her trademark dimples.

"Yup. All set. Will, you want to come with?" Buffy asked, not really wanting to leave her friend alone but also knowing that her friend needed some time alone to think.

"No…you guys go ahead."

"Aw…come on, Red. B's not much fun to pick on anymore and the only time she's in non-bitch mode is when you're around."

"Now tell me how you really feel." Buffy said as she gave her counterpart a playful grin.

"No, really, you guys go. I think I need a little time anyways to work some things out."

"Ok Will, but if you need anything, call me. Got it?"

"Loud and clear. I'll be fine. Go." On her own again, Willow wondered if all this drama with Ken was worth it and if not, was she ready to let the younger girl go.

Being the creatures of habit that they both were, it came as no surprise that the slayers found their way to a cemetery. After a quick sweep, they decided to stroll around for a awhile. It seemed to be the only place in the city that was quiet. After walking the streets of LA for a few hours, the duo felt more like beat cops than Champions. It wasn't like they didn't want to help whenever they could, but sometimes a girl just needs a break. So far, they had stopped three robberies, a couple of car jackings, an attempted rape and more assaults than they wanted to count. It seemed like even though the demon population in LA followed the same schedule as the ones on the Hellmouth, the criminal element in this city wouldn't be extending the same courtesy.

"So, when you and Red gonna start getting' it on?" Faith kicked the conversation off with just the right combination of tact and subtleness that would have made Anya proud.

The blonde tried and failed to look annoyed as she answered. "We're not. Remember that thing called a relationship? She's in one."

"The way it's been lookin' to me, not for long."

"Since when do you care about getting me and Will together? Not too long ago, you were trying to get in my pants." Buffy said with a bemused look.

"Not too long ago, I did get in your pants..." She replied with the smile that she recently found out gets under her counterpart's skin in just the right way. "…but after seeing all your naughty parts, I think I can call you a friend now and I just, you know …want to see you happy and all that stuff. Don't mean I don't plan on seeing you hot and bothered a few more times before you two get together."

The two strolled on for a few more minutes before the blonde piped up. "Man, the big house has made you soft."

"Hey! I can still get down with the best of them."

"I know, I know. You're rough and tough." Buffy said in a tone that implied that they had had this particular conversation many times before.

"Damn right." The raven haired woman waited a beat before getting back to the point. "So, what you gonna do about magic girl?"

"I don't know, nothing probably. She feels it but she doesn't know it yet and it's not like I can go up to her and say 'Hey Will, I know you don't know this on a conscious level, but you're in love with me so I was thinking that since you're in love with and I'm in love with you, we should be in love together.' I don't see that going over too well. Besides, she's with Ken right now and I may be a lot of things but I'm not a home wrecker."

They walked a little more just enjoying each other's company. Each lost in their own thoughts, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

"It's times like this where I just don't understand how she got the 'Smart One' of the group title." Faith broke the silence again as if the conversation never stopped.

The blonde drew her brows together looking the part of being in deep thought. "I think I gave it to her."

"Figures. You never were…"

"Hey now. For someone trying to see something naughty you might not want to finish that thought."

"Whatever. We both know you like my technique too much to follow through on that one."

"Little sure of ourselves, aren't we?" The older woman remarked smirking at the truth of the statement.

"Don't know any other way, B." The dark slayer replied with a smirk of her own.

The two women left the cemetery side by side, happy to finally be comfortable around each other again. Both knew that this time, no matter what, their friendship was going to last.

"Only you would say that someone's a friend after seeing them naked." The blonde slayer said once they hit the streets again, causing both women to giggle.


End file.
